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AS Roma 1-1 Juventus – Keita salvages a point for 10 men Roma

AS Roma 1-1 Juventus – Keita salvages a point for 10 men Roma

Seydou Keita was on hand to restore a point for admirable Roma after going down to 10 men following Torosidis’s red card. This was after Tevez’s exquisite free kick put the visitors ahead, the result still leaves the Old Lady 9 points clear at the top.

The game really turned on it’s head when Rudi García rolled the dice for the hosts taking off mainstays in Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi for Juan Iturbe and Radja Nainggolan. The pair gave the visitors the drive, creativity and urgency that they severely lacked in the earlier parts of the contest which Juventus dominated.

The first half wasn’t blessed with an abundance of chances from either side however the champions were the more dangerous side. This was highlighted when Roberto Pereyra’s ball across goal to Álvaro Morata was crucially intercepted by Greek defender Kostas Manolas.

Another chance went begging for the visitors when French full-back Patrice Evra’s cut back on the by-line wasn’t attacked by anyone in the box.

The hosts threatened when Jose Holebas’s cross missed the Roma skipper Francesco Totti, inadvertently finding it’s way to Mali International, Seydou Keita – who couldn’t make the most of the chance.

Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa’s terrible back pass nearly played Carlos Tevez through however Morgan De Sanctis was alert and cleared the danager.

After Roberto Pereyra beat three challenges, the midfielder on-loan from Udinese found his compatriot Carlos Tevez – who saw his deflected angled drive go wide.

After 62 minutes, Roma were reduced to ten men after Vasilis Torosidis tripped up Vidal who was in a promising area for the visitors. It was double punishment for the hosts as Carlos Tevez put away the resulting free kick, his precise strike beating De Sanctis. The Argentine now has 15 goals in Serie A, making him the top goal scorer; one more than Mauro Icardi.

Pereyra nearly made it two for the visitors just moments later but his strike hit the side netting, to the relief of many Roma fans.

After the interval, the Chilean Arturo Vidal couldn’t make the most of Adem Ljajić’s mistake seeing his daisy-cutter go narrowly wide.

72 minutes gone and finally Gigi Buffon was forced into making his first save, Manolas’s header from a free kick was pushed out for a corner by the Italian veteran.

Keita gave the hosts a life line when he levelled the scoring, heading his free header at the back post following Alessandro Florenzi’s set play. Claudio Marchisio tried to clear the header but he couldn’t get enough on it.

After the goal Roma were much more brighter in their play which was typified by the instrumental and effective pair of Iturbe and Nainggolan. The Argentine winger had a number of shots that went narrowly wide and was a constant menace to the Juventus defenders, being direct and dribbling past players. The Belgium too tested Buffon with a drilled effort with both of them causing havoc to the Juventus back-line at any chance they got.

However Juventus were stubborn and the Giallorossi couldn’t get that crucial second goal, with the contest finishing one a piece.

After the game Juventus boss, Max Allegri had a few words to say to Sky Sport Italia:

Even with his side being nine points clear at the top with no so long left to go, the Italian proved to be a frustrated figure

“It is a step forward, but considering the way the game was going we really should’ve done better. We played badly in the final 20 minutes,” he told Sky Sport Italia after a 1-1 draw.

“I was happy until the 70th minute, as we allowed Roma nothing and improved after the break. Once we took the lead, we played another six or seven minutes well, but then sort of stopped playing.

“We leave the field very angry after this draw. It’s true nine points are a good margin, but we have got to start winning away from home, as we haven’t done so in three games now.